OTTAWA, ONTARIO--(Marketwire - Dec. 14, 2007) - Canada's 11,000 hog producers applauded the release, earlier this week, of two federal committee reports recommending a short-term loan program and changes to the current Canadian Agricultural Income Stabilization (CAIS) program.

Canadian Pork Council President Clare Schlegel expressed disappointment, however, that the federal government so far has not shown support for the hog industry's loan proposal. "At a time when not one, but two, committee reports are being tabled that recommend tangible solutions for our producers, we are not seeing that same support from those who have the power to help our producers and save our sector."

The reports, tabled by the federal House of Commons Standing Committee on Agriculture and Agri-Food and the Senate Standing Committee on Agriculture and Forestry, outline the hardships faced by pork producers in 2007, brought on by soaring feed costs, low market prices for hogs, and the drastically increased value of the Canadian dollar.

The Canadian Pork Council has been urging governments to help producers through this unprecedented crisis by providing a repayable, interest-bearing loan, along with improvements to existing risk management programs.

Mr. Schlegel welcomes the recommendations made in the Committees' reports. "We want to thank Senator Joyce Fairbairn, and James Bezan, Member of Parliament, and their respective committees, for listening to Canadian hog producers and truly understanding the hurt our farmers are facing."

He continues, "We can only hope our federal and provincial governments see the light before it is too late. If not, Canada's future may not include a pork industry."